Systematically, homonojirimycin is named 2,6-imino-2,6- dideoxy-D-glycero-L-e-heptitol; homonojirimycin glycosides have been described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,634,765 as inhibitors of carbohydrate digestive enzymes. The indicated compounds are prepared by the reaction of an appropriate protected homonojirimycin with a protected glycosyl halide followed by removal of the protecting groups. The indicated patent describes a multi-step procedure to prepare the necessary homonojirimycin starting materials; for the most part, the intermediates obtained in the various steps of the synthesis are not solid and it is necessary to use chromatography in the preparation and purification of some of these intermediates.